“W-what do you want?” I choke out.
“What did I say, bitch? Keep quiet or it won’t end well for you.”
Securing my hands behind my back, he removes the blade and steps in front of me. He’s a mess. Pockmarks litter his gaunt face, his eyes blown with whatever drug courses through his bloodstream.
“Where is it?” he spits.
“Where’s what?”
“The money, bitch. Don’t play dumb with me. Lizzie said it would be here. Said he was good for it.”
“Lizzie, what are you talking about? I don’t live here, I’m not—”
His hand snaps out and grabs me around the throat. “Don’t play games with me, bitch. Promised Lizzie nobody would get hurt, but didn’t expect you to be here.”
He releases me and steps back, waving the switchblade in the air as he paces back and forth, muttering to himself.
“Why don’t you let me call my friend. I bet he’ll tell you where the money is and then you can be on your way and—”
“Shut up.” He jabs the tip of the blade toward me. “Shut the fuck up.”
“S-sorry, I didn’t—”
“You got anything on you? Blow? Molly?”
“No, I’m not—” I stop myself, not wanting to offend him anymore than I already have.
“Not what, bitch?”
“Nothing, I didn’t mean anything.”
“Fucking stupid whore. Argh.” He grabs his wiry hair and starts pulling. “Okay, okay… guess I’ll have to do this the hard way. Don’t fucking move.”
He obviously doesn’t realise I’m not going anywhere since he cable tied me to the chair. Storming over to the kitchen cabinets, he starts emptying them out, the few cans and boxes of food Styx has, flying all over the place. Plates and bowls crash to the floor, shattering everywhere as he searches for the cash he’s obviously looking for.
He said Lizzie told him it would be here.
Who the fuck is she?
And why does she know where Styx keeps his hidden stash of money?
Betrayal trickles through me. Has Styx been seeing someone? All this time he didn’t want to be with me, is it because he was—
I shut down that line of thought. It won’t get me anywhere good. Not while I’m tied to a chair with an armed junkie looking for his next hit.
I spy my cell phone on the floor, if only I could get to it. I could call for help or send an SOS.
“Where is it? Where the fuck is it?” He’s trashed the kitchen. It looks like a bomb has gone off but he doesn’t stop, swiping everything off the counter, pulling out drawers.
I don’t know what to do. He’s clearly tweaking which makes him unpredictable. I just have to hope Styx returns soon.
Tears burn the backs of my eyes. This isn’t how it was supposed to go.
It isn’t—
“ARGH.” The guy grabs a mug and launches it at the wall, the sound reverberating inside me.
“I know it’s here, it’s got to be fucking here.” He marches toward me again and grabs me so forcefully, my shoulders wrench, making me cry out in agony. “Are you fucking messing with me, bitch? Because if you are… I’ll slice you open and leave you in itty-bitty bits for your boyfriend to find.”